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The Sioux lost another one :p. Brian Gifford committed to Denver for '05. I don't know if we were recruiting him hard (or at all for that matter), but it seemed like we should have been. This sucks

From today's Forum (no mention of UND in the article!):

It's sort of like skating backward: Being an NHL draft pick has helped Brian Gifford get into college. Despite scoring 56 points and being a Mr. Hockey finalist, the 2004 Moorhead High graduate received little interest from college hockey coaches.

Now, due in part to being taken 85th by the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 27, the forward has what "everyone's working for" -- an NCAA Division I scholarship.

Gifford will play for the University of Denver, the reigning national champion, on full scholarship beginning in 2005-06.

"They have a really good program," said Gifford, who will skate for the USHL's Indianpolis Ice this winter. "The coaches are nice, good facilities, I like the area, the academics are pretty strong." Still, it wasn't an easy call.

After the NHL draft, Gifford was also offered a full ride by Nebraska-Omaha, and was being recruited by Minnesota-Duluth and Maine. But a recent trip to Denver, during which he stayed with Pioneers alternate captain and fellow Moorhead alum Nick Larson sealed the deal -- which may prove to be a good one for Denver.

"I don't think Giff has played the best hockey he's going to play," Spuds coach Dave Morinville said.

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I attended the Fargo Jets/Bismarck Bobcats game in Fargo last night. I realize it is early in the season, but Jacques Lamoureaux looked to be one of the better players on the ice. He has good size, was solid on his skates and scored a goal and assist and had one of two goals in the shootout, which was won by Bismarck.

Whether he can improve upon last season's performance and whether UND is even interested remain to be seen, but simply because of his pedigree I felt it worth noting in the recruiting thread.

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I told Coach Berry to get him. I guess they didn't get after him as hard as some others. He had full ride offers from several other WCHA schools and some others.

I had two first cousins that played at Wisconsin and he lives in Chicago a nice university and close for his mom and dad to go to the games.

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From the Forum today:

This kid will likely turn out to be a very sought after recruit.

Shattuck new home for Dowzak

Terry Vandrovec,The Forum

Published Thursday, September 23, 2004

For a stay-at-home defenseman, as his coach called him, Tysen Dowzak sure is a long way from home.

The 16-year-old junior is in his third year at Shattuck-St. Mary's boarding school in Faribault, some 225 miles from his hometown of Fergus Falls. He left behind his parents and an Otters program that, prior to last season, had been to seven consecutive Minnesota state hockey tournaments.

"It took a lot of thought," Dowzak said while in Fargo last week for an exhibition game against the Fargo-Moorhead Jets. "But I made a good decision."

It was not, however, the easy decision.

"Two and two is still four," Shattuck coach Tom Ward said of transitioning from a public school to a private one. "It's a little more information, faster."

That's in the classroom and on the ice. The school has a reputation of preparing its students for the ACTs and the NHL; recent draft picks Zach Praise, Drew Stafford, A.J. Thelen and Matt Smaby went to Shattuck.

Dowzak said a typical day consists of class, practice, a team workout, a mandatory study hall and, if necessary, an ice bath. The Shattuck prep team, the most advanced of the school's eight squads, plays a 70-game schedule that spans seven months and seven states, and forces players to complete assignments on-line.

This is exactly what Dowzak had in mind when at age 13, he chose to attend Shattuck instead of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich.

"The first year was a big adjustment," said Dowzak, who has also chased pucks in France and Sweden. "I struggled a lot getting used to working harder in the classroom and working harder on the ice. It's worth it."

The work may eventually be worth millions.

Dowzak helped Team USA to a second-place finish Under-17 Five Nations Tournament in Hall, Germany this summer. College recruiters can't officially speak to the 6-foot-5, 225-pounder yet, but he is already being mentioned among the best defensemen nationally in his class.

"Obviously, he's a giant," Ward said. "He's a big boy and he's learning the physical game with and without the puck. Right now, he's a stay-at-home defenseman."

And yet he's going places.

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Wolverines chatter has Kessel race down to two. Take it for what it's worth.

http://michigan.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid...0254720&style=1

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Were we even interested? I know us fans were, but was Hak and Co.?

I'm thinking that Kessel wouldn't come here even if we did recruit him hard.

I've predicted this on USCHO: Kessel will be a Wolverine.

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I was wondering whether the Sioux are recruiting Brock Bradford.  Everyone on POI seems to think that they have him in the bag.  Anybody have any info

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've heard as much about UND recruiting Bradford as I have UND recruiting Kessel: Nothing.

Bradford has narrowed his choices to BC or Minny. Being a Sioux fan, I'm hoping BC between those two. Bradford seems to be the real deal.

*****

I did see Duncan play a year ago when he played in a tourney at the Ralph. He was pretty good, in fact, offensively, he was probably the best offensive player on the ice if you forget Okposo or Toews.

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I haven't heard whether the Sioux are interested, but another guy to keep an eye on for the future is Brock Trotter at Lincoln in the USHL. Here's a blurb from the Lincoln paper:

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2004/1...9c059870279.txt

--------------------------------

""That week we had to practice after the Buc Bowl made a big difference for us," Johnson said. "We went into the Buc Bowl pretty wore out. We had been going at it about twice a day. And we basically used the Buc Bowl as strictly an evaluation process to look at players. Other teams approached it differently."

In that evaluation process, Johnson realized a potential great weapon in Trotter, considered one of the most skilled offensive players on the team.

"He's got really good rink sense," Johnson said. "He's a really smart player who just anticipates where the puck's going to be. If he can work on his quickness and strength and develop a little more of a work ethic, he's going to be a great player in this league." Trotter

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I've heard as much about UND recruiting Bradford as I have UND recruiting Kessel:  Nothing.

Bradford has narrowed his choices to BC or Minny.  Being a Sioux fan, I'm hoping BC between those two.  Bradford seems to be the real deal.

*****

I did see Duncan play a year ago when he played in a tourney at the Ralph.  He was pretty good, in fact, offensively, he was probably the best offensive player on the ice if you forget Okposo or Toews.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't believe that UND seriously looked at Bradford, given their needs at the time, and I don't think there was a great deal of mutual posturing with Kessel. Kessel would have been a "nice to have" though. The BC crowd seems certain Bradford will be playing there.

Duncan is doing pretty well for a smallish player in a tough BCHL, and Salmon Arm isn't as good as they were the past few seasons. I think he'll do very well at UND.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Shattuck has stats up on their website now within the last day or two, if anyone is interested. Toews of course is leading the team in scoring with 29 points, Gergen has 27, Okposo 24 and so on. Genoway has 16 and Chorney has only 8 I believe. These stats are after 16 team games (they play a 70 game schedule as I remember).

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  • 2 weeks later...

Minnesota officially lost Brock Bradford to BC now :0;):) . It's on Heisenberg's site now. Now all that has to happen is that Kessel commits to Michigan (or better yet, although much less likely North Dakota) and the recruiting coup will be done. I love when the almighty Goofs lose out on great recruits.

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Minnesota officially lost Brock Bradford to BC now :0  ;)  :) .  It's on Heisenberg's site now.  Now all that has to happen is that Kessel commits to Michigan (or better yet, although much less likely North Dakota) and the recruiting coup will be done.  I love when the almighty Goofs lose out on great recruits.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You know what they say over on POI - win most, lose a few - there is no elitism in that sentiment, is there?

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Now all that has to happen is that Kessel commits to Michigan (or better yet, although much less likely North Dakota) and the recruiting coup will be done. 

Kessel being from the Madison area, I still think Buckie has as good of a shot as Michigan and both of those are probably better than Goldie's. I'd put UND as a very long long-shot.

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I don't think UM or UND will be hurting for talent in the forseeable future. It seems like Kessel may be in the Vanek/Parise/Heatley type talent, obviously everybody wants him.

As for Bradford, early USHL returns and it seems like Lucia wanted him pretty badly so he is probably pretty darn good.

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see that ryan duncan is leading the salmon arm silverbacks in scoring....

14 goals 9 assists...23 points in 15 games..............

15th overall in points in BCHL....leader with 34 points but has played 5 more games that ryan...good production..............

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